Shadow In The Leaves
by ShadowGundam16
Summary: Naruto with a bloodline inspired by a superhero (Loose Cannon). Slightly Dark Naruto, Super Naruto-eventual Godlike Naruto.
1. Chapter 1

_ A young boy races down an empty street, taking sharp turns to try and lose the mob racing behind him._

_ 'Why do they do this?' he cries inside his mind._

_ The little boy ends up in a dead end. He turns to hear the yelling getting louder all the while praying that they turn a different way. _

_ He searches around him looking for a way of escape but a lone man casts his shadow down the alleyway._

_ "Demon, at last you fall before me! Today, you will die by my hands and pay for the deaths of my wife and uncle!" the man cries hysterically. He brandishes a cleaver and with a maniacal grin starts forward._

_ The boy begins to shake and backs away from the man. "Leave me alone," he cries, "I didn't do anything!" _

_ "Lies!" the man yells back and charges straight for the boy, quickly closing the gap._

_ The boy's eyes widen as he watches that knife descend. He comes to a conclusion, "I don't want to die!"_

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage, the Professor, the God of Shinobi stood viewing his beloved village. He had just received word that his surrogate grandson had just been attacked again and had displayed a new ability completely decimating his would be aggressor.

Hiruzen sighed before taking a long drag on his pipe. It was going to be a shit storm from the council over this. They would try and peg murder and then demand execution…on a six year old boy.

'I failed you Minato…' he thought solemnly.

At that moment an ANBU in a Falcon mask shunshin'd into his office.

Hiruzen half-turned. "Has he awoken?"

The ANBU, not fully in control of his emotions, merely nodded.

"Let's go then." Hiruzen commanded, and a split second later the office was completely empty.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

The young boy's eyes slowly opened before shutting tightly at the bright lights.

"Am I dead?" he mumbled. He wasn't. He could his heartbeat in his ears, there was a prickling sensation on his foot…yep, still alive.

The creaking of the door and the boy felt a presence in the room with him. It was calming, older and had an overtone of monkeys.

"Hokage-jiji…" the boy weakly called out.

Hiruzen felt tears come into his eyes. How Naruto keeps his innocence despite all the bull he puts up with, he'll never know.

Then he felt it. Hiruzen searched Naruto's aura, still the same, full of ramen and happiness…and lots of repressed emotions. Then he searched his chakra. It felt a tiny bit off. There was an occasional burst of darkness.

Instantly, the Kyuubi jumped to the forefront of his mind, but its chakra felt malevolent and evil. It practically killed you before you even fought.

"How are you feeling Naruto?" Hiruzen asked the blonde laying on the bed.

"I think I did something bad…" Naruto confessed.

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Can you tell me what happened?"

Naruto nodded. "That guy tried to cut me with a knife and I felt…this…power flow from within me. It was like…nothing I've ever felt before. I felt so free…"

Hiruzen nodded. "When you're better, I would like to see just what this power is Naruto. Do you think you can do it again?"

Naruto nodded.

"Good get some sleep."

When Naruto drifted off Hiruzen left.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

The next day saw Hiruzen staring in amazement and slight fear at Naruto's power. The young boy was cloaked in a dark chakra cloak, the boy's eyes glowing red. Naruto then demonstrated an ability to meld into shadows and even travel through them.

Naruto sat on the ground, beaming with pride. "See Jiji, that's what I did."

Hiruzen could only shake his head. "You're going to be very strong Naruto."

** A year later…**

We find Hiruzen in the midst of a council meeting.

"We must kill him! He is gaining strength that will kill us all!" A civilian councilman yelled.

"The demon must die!" A hysterical woman joined in.

"Better yet, let's give him to Danzo to be turned into a weapon." A fat civilian councilman threw his two cents in.

Hiruzen had enough. Slamming his hand on the desk, and unleashing a good dose of killing intent served to quiet the room. 'All without saying anything…' he inwardly smirked.

"Let remind you if you've forgotten," Hiruzen started in a soft voice laced with KI, "Naruto acted in _self-defense_. My law is still in effect so if I hear you call him a demon again, I will personally kill you."

Then the din started again, with everyone yelling about Hiruzen being corrupted and how Danzo should get the boy.

"Minato forgive me…I've failed you and your son again haven't I?" Hiruzen said thinking he wasn't going to be heard.

Komura and Homura stiffened at what they just heard. "What did you just say?" they asked.

The room quickly quieted.

Hiruzen stood. "You should all be ashamed. What you are doing to this boy in the name the Yondaime is despicable."

"What do you mean? We are finishing what he wanted us to do!" A pink haired councilwoman screeched.

"He left it to US to kill the de-UGH!" the man coughed up blood, then died seconds later from a kunai embedded into his throat.

There was a collective gasp and all eyes turned to the Sandaime with his arm still outstretched.

Hiruzen lowered his arm. "He _left it to you_ to show this boy he is a hero for _imprisoning_ that beast. He left it…to ALL OF YOU IMBECILES TO HONOR HIS _**SON**_**!**"

There was a dead silence, the pieces slowly clicking together in everyone's minds.

Hiruzen sighed. "Naruto Uzumaki-_Namikaze _is the son of Kushina Uzumaki, and Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime."

The council erupted, but Hiruzen quieted them down with a good bit of KI.

"We must have him here and loyal! The last Namikaze…" a councilman called out.

"We must enact a CRA on him at once!" the pink-haired councilwoman added her voice.

"I think we still should hand him over to Danzo!" the same councilman called.

"HAVE YOU ALL FORGOTTEN HE IS SEVEN?" Hiruzen yelled. "Besides, what makes you think he will do anything for this village after all the shit you've put him through?"

The council quieted down after this.

"Hokage-sama, we at least have to see what he will do after the Academy." The Nara clan head called from his lazy position on his desk.

They agreed, meanwhile plotting ways to get Naruto to come to them for their own selfish ends.

**Five years later…**

It was graduation day for one Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. After he found out who his parents were he began to be called 'Namikaze-sama' by some of the villagers. He even had his own fan club that steadily grew because he wasn't a pompous, brooding ass.

Naruto's skills with his bloodline grew. He couldn't find anything pertaining to it so he simply called it, **'Jinsei no Kage' **(Shadows of Life). Naruto discovered a way to harden it so it formed armor around him and he found he could go three times as fast as his normal speed.

Naruto hadn't been slacking in his normal training either. His speed was mid-chunin level, and chakra control was low chunin, his bloodline saw to that.

Naruto had picked up a few techniques besides the Academy taught jutsus. Those were **Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu** (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique), **Suiton: Mizu no Muchi** (Water Release: Whip of Water), **Suiton: Mizurappa** (Water Release: Violent Water Wave), **Suiton: Teppoudama** (Water Release: Bullet), **Fuuton: Kaze Senbon** (Wind Release: Wind Needle), and **Raiton: Jibashi** (Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder). He was currently working on adding a couple Doton techniques and a couple more Fuuton techniques.

His Taijutsu was around high chunin-low jonin. He created his own style with his bloodline consisting of attacking from the shadows, or tricking people.

He has yet to come across a Genjutsu technique that interested him. He is also known to mess around with Kenjutsu.

Over the years it has been Sasuke and Naruto butting heads for the number one spot and Naruto finally won by scoring marginally higher in the Taijutsu and Ninjutsu portions of the Exams.

So now, Rookie of the Year Naruto prepared for his day. He dressed in baggy black pants taped at the ankles with gray tape, a black muscle shirt, metal gauntlets with the Uzumaki symbol engraved on them, and a black-clothed hitae-ate around his forehead.

As Naruto left his apartment he grabbed his katana, opting to carry it for now.

Walking down the street, he caught many people looking at him, whether it was awe, respect, fear or…lust.

Naruto arrived in his classroom to see one Shikamaru Nara sleeping.

"Wake up you lazy bastard." Naruto called to his friend, taking his seat in the back.

"Damn you Naruto…I was getting to the good part…" Shikamaru drawled with his head still down.

"And what would that be?" Naruto asked.

"I was just about to go to sleep in my dream." He replied.

Naruto laughed. "Only you would be so lazy…"

Before further could be said, the rest of the class began filing in.

"That's right Ino-pig! Sasuke is _all_ mine!"

"I already told you Forehead, I don't like Sasuke!"

"Then who do you like? Oh! Lemme guess, Naruto?"

"Shut up Sakura!"

At that moment a blushing blonde and a laughing banshee-I mean-pink-haired girl walked into the classroom. A brooding black-haired boy walked in unobserved.

Iruka walked and everyone quickly took their seats, Sakura next to Sasuke and Ino by Naruto. Naruto winked at her and she blushed.

"Alright; Good morning everyone! Today marks the day that you all become genin and embark on your ninja careers." Taking a pause to discreetly school his emotions, he began announcing team placements.

(CANON TEAMS)

Naruto was EXTREMELY bored after waiting for three hours. He took a shuriken from a hidden seal on his gauntlet and began to spin it with his chakra.

"What the hell are you doing dobe?" Sakura screeched. She had picked up Sasuke's nickname for Naruto.

Naruto ignored her and made the shuriken spin faster adding wind and lightning chakra so it made a lot of noise.

"You're so annoying Naruto can you please stop that!" Sakura screeched even louder, adding to Sasuke's discomfort as she was sitting right next to him.

The sound of the door opening caught all three's attention.

Their jonin-sensei, Kakashi Hatake, had finally arrived. The silver-haired, crooked hitae-ate, masked man eye smiled. "Team 7?"

Receiving three glares, he simply said, "Meet me on the roof."

"What's the matter dobe? I thought you were going to throw that shuriken at him." Sasuke sneered.

"I was, but found a better target." Naruto said getting up and sinking into the shadows.

"What do you mean by that?" Sasuke called after him. He proceeded to get up only to notice that one of his arm warmers was stapled to Sakura's chair so his hand rested on an unconscious Sakura's thigh. Sasuke watched a trail of blood slowly leak on to the floor.

'Damn dobe…' Sasuke thought.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Team 7 stood on the roof after a couple minutes. Sasuke managed to get himself free even though the shuriken kept shocking him.

"Okay, here's what's going to happen. Tell me your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams for the future." Kakashi says.

"Why don't you go first Sensei?" Sakura suggests.

"My name is Kakashi. I have a lot of likes and dislikes, a few hobbies and I haven't really thought about the future. Pinkie?"

Sakura pouted. "My name is Sakura Haruno. I like…" Her eyes glanced at Sasuke. "I dislike Naruto!" Said boy shrugged. "My hobby is…and my dream is…" She released a fangirly scream.

'Fangirl…great…' Kakashi thought. "You next Duck boy."

Sasuke 'hmph'ed. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I like training, the Civilian Council and power anyway I can get it. I dislike fangirls, weakness and not getting what I want. My hobbies are planning the destruction of a certain someone and my dream is to kill said person and restore my clan with a strong kunoichi."

'Avenger…even better…' Kakashi thought with an inward sigh. "Blondie, you're up."

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. I like training, my _'furry pal'_, ramen, going hunting, quality time with Jiji, the rain, an ANBU whose name was 'Inu' and my first sensei who was named 'Falcon'. I dislike rapists, people blinded by emotions, fangirls and the Council. My hobbies are training, meditating, hunting in the 'Forest of Death' and pissing off the Hyuuga Clan. My dream is to be a SSS-rank in the bingo books."

The other three went bug-eyed. "Why would you want that?" Kakashi asked.

Naruto smirked. "It seems like fun."

Kakashi shook his head. "Okay. Meet me at seven tomorrow at Training Ground Seven. Don't eat anything or you will barf."

With that said, the jonin shunshin'd away in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto disappeared also leaving Sakura to be turned down from a date with Sasuke privately.

As Naruto reappeared in front of his home an ANBU in a Bear mask appeared next to him.

"Naruto Uzumaki…the Council commands your presence at once." He said.

Naruto sighed, gave his consent allowing the ANBU to grab his shoulder and shunshin to the Council Room.

_**(Shadow In the Leaves)**_

Naruto, with an emotionless face stared at the bane of his existence.

'First they try to kill or banish me now they grovel and try to persuade me…the balls on these people…' Naruto thought.

"Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. You are now a registered genin so we would like to enact the CRA on you." Koharu stated.

Before she could get any further, the sound of laughter from Naruto interrupted her.

"Why do you laugh? That is disrespectful to your elders!" the pink-haired woman screeched.

"Now I see where Sakura gets it from." Naruto mumbled under his breath. "I'm not disrespecting her; I just think it is funny how you try to enact something on me that I don't even want."

"No no boy. You see, we are not telling you, we are ordering you." A civilian councilman clarified.

"I don't give two shits what you order! You are _not_ my superiors." Naruto said to the civilian side, throwing an icy glare to each member.

"But it is necessary to build the Namikaze _and_ Uzumaki clans back up! You must be put under a CRA!" the banshee screeched again.

Naruto sent a sympathetic look to the Inuzuka clan head. "I'm sorry about that volume. Your ears must hurt more than mine."

"Damn right." She huffed.

"BOY! YOU _WILL_ BE UNDER THE CRA!" Homura shouted, trying to be intimidating.

Naruto turned his back on the civilian side and addressed the Shinobi side.

"Nara-sama, glad to see you in good health." Naruto politely said to Shikaku who merely gave a 'thumbs-up' in response with his head still down.

"Hyuuga-sama, how goes the clean-up?" Naruto asked innocently.

Hiashi ground his teeth.

"Naruto, is your final decision to defy the wishes of the Council?" Koharu asks. Naruto turns around, pondering the question.

"Actually, you can tell me why it's so important for me to have this CRA?" he asks, looking around the room.

His question is met by dead silence.

"Exactly what I thought," Naruto says into the silence, "You all see me as some kind of power up that can improve your power standing in this stupid Council. I won't be taking this CRA as I don't see the need for it."

Naruto bowed to the Shinobi side then sank into the shadows.

A couple moments later, the Sandaime walked in. "All of you have some explaining to do…Where are the deeds to the Namikaze Compound, the Uzumaki developmental lands and all the funds from Minato and Kushina's personal bank account?"

_**RATE AND REVIEW**_


	2. Chapter 2

Hiruzen gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to summon Enma and start a slaughter that would rival what Minato did to Iwa.

"I'm not going to ask again. Where are the deeds?" Hiruzen nearly saturated the room in his KI for the shell-shocked expressions.

"Hokage-sama," the pink haired woman spoke up, "W-We decided it was i-i-in the best interests of the v-village to…seize young Namikaze-sama's assets…as a…bargaining tool if he refuses our demands…" the woman's voice getting quieter with every word.

Hiruzen couldn't hold back anymore. Without a word nearly every person in the room voided their bowels. The sheer intensity of this KI even brought Shikaku fully awake, and that's saying something.

"Why?" Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, making sure to keep his voice level.

"We needed to show the boy we have power over him-" Homura started but stopped when the full force of Hiruzen's KI swung onto him.

"Have you forgotten who has undisputed leadership over the _shinobi_ of this village?! All of you are the Council, _advisors_ to the _Hokage_. This is a dictatorship, and I currently rule! If you want this office, come pry it from my cold dead hands!" Hiruzen yelled.

"Learn your place _Council_!" He spat. "I expect Naruto to have everything within the next few days or Kami help all of you." As Hiruzen turned to leave a voice rang out.

"You cannot do this Hokage-sama! The boy needs to learn his place and we need to have something that will keep him loyal to the village!" the banshee cried.

The full force of Hiruzen's KI hit her dead on, pushing her out of her seat and onto the floor where she began to vomit.

"If you want his loyalty, you need his _respect_, but I guess you underhanded fools would know nothing of the term." With that he left.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto opened his eyes and immediately knew something was wrong. His instincts told him that someone was in his house.

Silently, he gets up, puts on his black pants and grabs his katana from where it rested by his bedside after polishing it last night.

He opens his bedroom door slowly taking care to avoid the creak halfway.

Naruto rolls into his living room, blade unsheathed, and points it at his intruder.

On his couch and around it are gifts of all kinds, but what mainly stuck out was letters, dozens of them, drenched in different perfumes.

Naruto stands up puzzled. 'What the hell?' he thought.

'_**They're professions of love to dear Namikaze-sama…'**_ Kyuubi's voice lazily rolls through his head, followed by sniggering.

'Shut up you.' Naruto thinks back as he picks up a letter and reads it.

_Dearest Namikaze-sama,_

_You have truly been the love of my life. I would be so honored to carry your children and become Mrs. Namikaze-_

Naruto stopped reading before he dry heaved. Manipulating fire chakra in his hand, he incinerated the love letter.

'_**Oh come on why'd you do that?'**_ Kyuubi asks.

'_You know damn well…'_ Naruto shoots back. Naruto picks up another letter and something slips from the envelope. He looks down to see a woman with only a see through silk nightgown on.

A small trickle of blood escapes his nose. Naruto quickly snaps out of his stupor as his alarm clock rings.

Going back in his room, he shuts it off, places his katana on his bed and proceeds to shower.

After he is finished he dresses in the same kind of outfit with the exception of a kunai holster strapped to his right thigh.

Naruto steps into his kitchen debating whether to have breakfast. He ultimately decides on a quick three cups of ramen will suffice. He eats then makes sure his apartment is locked up before disappearing into the shadows.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto reappears in the shadow of a tree at Training Ground Seven. He spots both of his teammates waiting. Of course, Sakura was gazing lovingly at Sasuke who was busy brooding.

Naruto decided to wait in the shadows.

Two hours later, Kakashi arrived with a lazy wave. "Yo."

Sakura angrily jumps to her feet. "Where were you Kakashi-sensei?! We've been waiting here for hours!"

"Relax Sakura. I was just throwing boulders across the pool of life." Kakashi says, and then proceeds to explain the bell test. "Okay, now where is Naruto?" he says looking around.

"I'm right behind you Sensei." Naruto says, shocking everyone who quickly suffers neck aches turning to see him.

"When did you get here dobe?" Sasuke sneered.

"About the time you were considering feeling Sakura up." Naruto deadpans. Sasuke flushes angrily and Sakura blushes.

"Shut up baka!" Sakura yells, blush still heavy on her face.

Ignoring her Naruto turns his attention to his sensei. "When do we start?"

Kakashi noticed a dangerous gleam in Naruto's eyes. "Now."

The three genin jumped into the surrounding foliage. Kakashi proceeded to pull a orange book from his pouch and began reading.

Sasuke watched him quickly formulating a plan. He pulled a kunai out and whipped it toward Kakashi, then proceeded to jump to the top branches.

Kakashi lazily dodged the incoming projectile and the follow up overhead kick from one Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke grunted and launched a high kick. Kakashi grabbed it with his left hand, pulled Sasuke toward him and shunshin'd a little ways away.

Sasuke turned and launched a hook kick at the back of Kakashi's head, only to go through a clone. Sasuke looked around for his missing sensei only to be pulled through the ground, to his head.

Kakashi rose up in front of him, with his book still in hand. "You have good Taijutsu skills Sasuke. You're a little overconfident for attacking me alone huh?"

Kakashi eye smiled. "I see Sakura just revealed herself. Be right back." With that he shunshin'd next to her and put her out with a Genjutsu.

Now stalking through the forest, Kakashi tried to locate the missing team member. He came across a clearing covered in shadows.

His visible eye widened. He had been lured into a trap. _'Damn it. Where is he? He could be anywhere...'_

The surrounding area began to get cold and the shadow in front of him began to ripple like a pond. A mop of blonde came through, followed by the familiar whiskered visage of one Naruto Uzumaki. He was crossing his arms in a way that unnerved Kakashi.

"Hey sensei…took you long enough to get here. You kept me waiting." Naruto said, closing his eyes. "I already have the bells, so I guess you want to just gauge my skills right?"

Kakashi's eyes widened. "When did you-"

"The second you took out your 'Icha Icha'." Naruto shrugged. "You were doing some sort of inner monologue so I took them and replaced them with pebbles." Naruto tilted his head. "Didn't you not hear them ring after all those movements you did?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Whatever, you guys pass but you are right, we still need to fight."

"In that case you are already dead Kakashi-Sensei." Naruto said emotionlessly.

"How so?" Kakashi asked, genuinely interested.

"You came into my playground. With my bloodline, this practically makes any advantage you have in skill nil." Naruto said gesturing to the shadows.

Kakashi looked around only to find a kunai at his jugular.

"See what I mean?" Naruto deadpanned.

"Alright, I concede. Let's go get your teammates." Kakashi sighed. _'You had this planned all along huh Hokage-sama.'_

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Sasuke was livid. _'How the hell can the dobe accomplish something that is worthy of only me?!'_ he raged.

Naruto looked at his teammate's face. He looked constipated.

Sakura, however, looked on in worry, putting aside her own humbling experiences.

Kakashi had just given them a speech about the necessities of teamwork and a quote they should take to heart.

As Naruto got up to leave, Sasuke called out to him. "Dobe! You must train me and give me all your techniques so I may become stronger."

"Yeah Naruto! Sasuke is supposed to be the strongest one, not a dobe like you!" Sakura joined in.

"Both of you can go to hell. What would I gain by teaching the bratty, arrogant, self-centered broody bastard anything? What do you gain by hanging on his every word?" Naruto sighed. He _really_ didn't want to be the one that did this. Either it made the team or broke it. "Sasuke, your arrogance will get you killed, or lead you down the same road your brother has tried to lead you on." Sasuke inhaled sharply. "Sakura…It's time to fucking GROW-UP! Crushing on him has made you weak! All you have are book smarts and on our first serious mission you will die brutally; possibly cleaved in half by a giant sword." (cough cough)

"Either you're serious about this lifestyle or you'll surely die. _That_ is the true way of the ninja." Naruto concluded, sinking into the shadows afterwards. After all, he had given them a lot to think about.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Ino Yamanaka stood at what was now her favorite spot in the village: atop the Hokage Mountain.

The sun was setting, causing Ino's shadow to stretch behind her.

Out of nowhere, a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

Ino stiffened then relaxed when she realized it was Naruto.

"Hi Ino-hime. You didn't tell me you would be here." Naruto said into her ear.

Ino sighed contentedly and leaned back against Naruto, enjoying his comforting presence. "Well you are the one who showed me this beautiful place."

They were quiet for several moments before Naruto asked if he could walk her home. Of course, she consented.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Hiruzen was still fuming. How dare those fools try to control Naruto! Especially now.

If Naruto was any other person, he surely would have massacred the Civilian Council where they sat.

Just then a swirl of darkness rose from the floor. Out of it came the one and only Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze.

"Hey Jiji, whatsup?" Naruto asked, not caring about the tensed ANBU who almost killed him, if they could.

"Naruto-kun it's good to see you. What's the visit about today?" He asked, smiling.

Naruto huffed. "First and foremost, Fangirl mail this morning. Secondly, I had to break it to the Uchiha and his loyal dog what it really is to be ninja."

"I see." Hiruzen nodded. "Do you think they'll change for the better?"

Naruto shrugged. "If not, I'll have a couple new teammates after they're dead right?"

Hiruzen winced at the boy's bluntness, but he had to agree.

"Jiji, I won the bet so you owe me three scrolls." Naruto said with an evil smirk.

"Wait, you beat Kakashi without fighting?" Hiruzen's jaw dropped.

"Yep. You'll probably get the details when the _old dog _finishes licking his wounds." Naruto smiled. "Now, I believe the bet called for the **Katon: Karyuu Endan** (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet), **Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu** (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique), and **Fuuton: Josho** (Wind Release: Rise) if you please."

Hiruzen grumbled and handed over the scrolls along with a fourth one.

"Jiji, I thought it was only three." Naruto said, confused.

Hiruzen nodded. "I know, call that a little gift."

They shared a knowing smirk.

As Naruto left, Hiruzen called out to him. "Give'em hell Naruto!"

_**REVIEWS IF YOU PLEASE**_

_**Slightly shorter only to help advance the story a little more…**_


	3. Chapter 3

Three months later found Team 7 with the highest record for completed D-Rank missions out of the other graduates: a whopping 154.

Over the course of the three months, Naruto managed to integrate the four techniques into his Ninjutsu repertoire. He also got around to upgrading his survival abilities. He learned different trapping techniques from a hunter travelling through Konoha, increased his own stealth by pranking the Hyuuga Clan several times, and got to spend his free time with Ino-hime.

His teammates have changed for the better also. Sasuke has started down the long road to forgiveness. He has also toned down his arrogance, if only slightly. He is on a sword's edge on the decision of killing his brother or trying to figure out why this happened. One of Sasuke's new goals is to obtain higher ranks for the clearance it brings toward the classified shinobi files.

Sakura, while still maintaining some of her fangirl traits, has taken serious steps towards her training. Before where she couldn't keep up with the boys, now she could but only in short bursts. Her reserves are still small due to the fact that Kakashi hasn't been really training chakra control…yet.

Kakashi for the most part is still the same as ever on the outside. On the inside, a small fire was lit…slowly burning away the darkness clouding his mind…

Team 7 quickly discovered how to permanently take the 'Tora' mission off the board.

They purposely failed the mission and to compensate, gave the Daimyo's wife a plate of dumplings…

Quickly though, they all came to a unanimous decision- No more B.S. D-Ranks.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Hiruzen growled. No words could express the raw torrent of emotions swirling inside him.

For one, the Council hadn't followed through on his orders because someone had _misplaced_ the documents. Hiruzen nearly put a kunai through his skull.

Next, he had received reports of several break-ins at Naruto's apartment. The culprits only left letters or gifts.

Lastly, Danzo hadn't been seen for a couple days.

All this added to one big clusterfuck that was making Hiruzen's blood boil.

A knock on his door brought him out of his thoughts.

"Come in," he ordered.

Iruka entered, with a clipboard in hand, ready to receive the day's requests for missions.

"Good morning Hokage-sama." Iruka bowed and took his place by the Hokage's side.

Hiruzen nodded at the chunin.

A couple hours and twelve different teams later brought Team 7 to see the Hokage.

"Team 7 reporting," Kakashi drawled.

"Good. What will it be today: there's old man Tenri who needs his fence painted, a woman requested help with her grocery shopping-" Hiruzen started before being interrupted.

"Jiji come _on_!" Naruto growled. "I think we are ready for a C-Rank mission…"

"Is that so? How do the rest of you feel about this?" He asked.

"I agree with Naruto…we are ready." Sasuke said quietly, Sakura nodding along with him.

Hiruzen turned toward the jonin. "Kakashi?"

Kakashi looked the Hokage in the eyes. "Team 7 is ready."

Hiruzen smiled. "Perfect, I have just the one. Tazuna-san."

In walked a drunken, grey-haired, bearded old man with a sleeveless v-neck with an obi, regular pants, sandals and a towel around his neck. In his left hand was a pointed hat and his right hand clutched the neck of a sake bottle.

"You're kidding me right?" He hiccupped. "A bunch of brats and a pervert are supposed to protect the Master Bridge Builder?"

"I assure these three genin will do their best, and you can always rely on Kakashi." Hiruzen told him.

Tazuna nodded gruffly.

"Team 7, do you accept this mission?" They accepted without hesitation. "Good, your mission begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. You are to meet by the front gate. This mission is detailed for a month. Good Luck." Hiruzen dismissed them.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto ran through a list in his mind of the supplies he'll need. _'Let's see…I need to get at least two dozen _just in case_ exploding tags…100 more kunai…200 shurikens…for fun some Fuma shurikens…ration pills…and lots of storage scrolls.'_

'_**Don't forget your bra and panties.'**_ Kyuubi sniggered.

Naruto had to smirk; he had been caught off guard.

Naruto 1,252,743,274,601…Kyuubi 1.

Naruto approached his favorite weapon shop.

He went inside and greeted his favorite blacksmith. "Hey Tenuchi-san. How's it going?"

The man was tall, intimidating and bristling with muscle from working on the forge. He had dark hair tied back in a ponytail that swept his shoulders, a neatly trimmed moustache, small square glasses and dark eyes.

"Naruto!" he responded happily. "What can I do for you?"

Naruto placed his order and soon had everything on the counter waiting for him.

"Hey Naruto, do you think you could do me a favor?" the big man asked.

Naruto smirked evilly. "More toys for me to play with?"

The man's grin matched Naruto's smirk. "Even better…_chakra-conducting toys_…"

Naruto's smirk grew into a full-blown smile. "What are the damages?"

Tenuchi shook his head. "No cost, I just want you to help me make sword worthy of true ninjas."

"Styles?" Naruto asked.

"I have a Tsurugi and a Chokuto already prepared, the katana is still being worked on." Tenuchi responded crossing his arms.

Naruto rubbed his chin. "Do you think I could take the Tsurugi and give the Chokuto to a teammate…so you have a second opinion?"

Tenuchi smiled. "That works. Wait here a moment and let me get the swords." He left the room and came back several minutes later with two blades.

He laid them side by side and Naruto marveled at the sight of them. The Tsurugi was four feet in length, double-edged and tapering to a point. There was no guard like some katanas have. The handle was wrapped in purple material and layered by blackened coils of steel. The sheath was black in color with a purple sheen matching the material on the handle.

The Chokuto was long, and looked dangerous. The handle was black along with the sheath.

"I've named the Chokuto _'Kusanagi'_ after the beautiful blade Orochimaru stole. I cannot for the life of me decide a name for the Tsurugi though…" Tenuchi trailed off.

Naruto picked the sword up, felling the majesty and power the blade held. The blade, polished to a mirror-like quality. Near the base was a little design that looked like wings. "Tenuchi-san, what's this?" Naruto asked pointing it out.

"It's some kind of deformation I couldn't get rid of." Naruto turned toward the blacksmith. Tenuchi was renowned throughout the shinobi world as a master blade smith, preceded only by the creator of the Raijin no Ken, and the seven swords of the Swordsman of the Mist.

"How about _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_?" Naruto suggested.

Tenuchi looked thoughtful. "'Slash of Heavenly Wings'? I like it." Tenuchi smiled before adding, "That's why you are my number one customer Naruto. Just make sure that you and your teammate write everything positive and negative about those swords so I can improve my designs before submitting them to the Hokage."

Naruto nodded, left the payment plus an extra 10,000 ryo for old time's sake, collected his 'toys' and vanished into the shadows.

Tenuchi smirked. _'That kid is our future…If the Hokage ever decide to step down, that kid has my full support…'_

_**(Shadows In The Leaves)**_

Naruto woke up the next morning feeling giddy and he didn't know why.

Even after showering and dressing he still felt it lingering.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Naruto does a final check of his equipment. He then proceeds to strap _Ame-no-Habakiri_ to his back, positioning the handle over his right shoulder. He places a few kunai in the kunai pouch, and puts his storage scrolls away. _'Now the last piece..'_

Naruto picks up his Konoha hitae-ate, kisses it, places it against his forehead, says a silent prayer then ties it securely around said area.

_Now_ he is ready. Slowly sinking into the shadows, Naruto lets out a chuckle.

'_This never gets old…'_

A minute before the scheduled time to leave, Kakashi shows up shocking his team.

"What?" he asks, confused by the trio of dropped jaws.

"You're on time for once!" Sakura yells.

Kakashi sweatdropped. "Well…It's time for the mission to start anyway. Are you ready?"

After receiving three confirming nods, Team 7 plus one heads out for the Land of Waves!

_**(Shadows In The Leaves)**_

Naruto takes point, lazily scanning the surrounding foliage. Sasuke and Sakura cover Tazuna, who is between them, also keeping vigilant. Kakashi is on rear…reading about rear…ends that is.

Naruto looks down to see a puddle on the side of the road. He sniffs it, expecting to smell the scent of fresh rainwater, purity and different types of critter who may have waded in the puddle.

Instead, it smelled like metal, sweat, excitement and…lust?

Naruto stopped by the puddle. "You all go on ahead, I gotta take a leak." Naruto told his teammates. Sakura was indifferent although disgusted and Sasuke raised an eyebrow, to which Naruto gave a mischievous grin. One Sasuke was all too familiar with after being the victim of so many pranks. Kakashi meanwhile scanned the boy. In the end they kept moving and Naruto went off into the foliage disappearing into the shadows to wait for the would be ambushers.

Sasuke turned at hearing the sound of chains clinking.

He was met by the sight of his sensei being ripped to shreds. Sakura shrieked somewhere behind him and he knew she was paralyzed in fear.

Sasuke cursed. _'Where are you Naruto?'_ He watched as the two nin with their strange chained glove charged, when a whirring sound came to his ears.

A sword flew by him, striking the chain and embedding it into the ground. It was long and had a black handle.

"Sasuke, consider that a 'happy first mission' gift." Naruto called rising from the shadows clutching a strange sword in his hand.

Sasuke dashed forward, pulling the Chokuto from where it was imbedded allowing the Nins to get free but at the price of their linking chain.

Sasuke charged at on holding the Chokuto in a two-handed grip. He aimed a high-slash then followed with a low kick, causing the ducking nin to go flying into a tree.

The Nin got up a moment later. "You're not bad kid." He said smirking.

Sasuke smirked before charging again. The Nin lashed out a wicked fast punch, but it went through a bunshin.

"Where'd he go?" the Nin mumbled. Sasuke descended quickly with a loud cry.

At the last possible moment, the Nin rolled away only losing his right arm in the process.

'_Damn'_ he mentally cursed.

"I'm not finished!" Sasuke roared, quickly closing the gap and thrusting the Chokuto through the Nin.

Sasuke panted, blood dripping from his sword as he looked at the dead man slumped before him. Bile rose in his throat but he forced it down. There would be time for cleansing later.

"You know," Naruto called out. Sasuke turned to him and their eyes locked. "Congratulations on your first kill or whatever, but…we kinda need information."

Sasuke's eye brows rose. "You killed your enemy as well?"

Naruto shook his head. "He's just a little maimed. The only thing keeping him alive is my sword through his gut." Sasuke noticed the other Nin pinned to the tree and winced.

At that moment Kakashi reappeared. "Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura yelled happily, finally coming out of her stupor.

The copy nin eye smiled. "Good job Team 7, especially you Naruto and Sasuke." Both boys smirked at this. The jonin then turned to a trembling Tazuna who had seen the capabilities of two of these brats. "So, Tazuna-san, care to explain why you had two Chunin-ranked missing-nin after you?" Kakashi asked in a no B.S. tone of voice.

Tazuna sighed and launched into his tale of Gato and the steady drain on Wave Country. "I can understand if you don't want to continue this mission."

"You're kidding right?" Naruto asked, scoffing. "What kind of person would I be if I didn't want to help save a Country?" _'With the prospect of fighting strong opponents as an added bonus…'_

"Do you want to continue this mission then Team 7?" Kakashi asked.

The remaining two members nodded.

Kakashi eye smiled. "Well then we continue." He ordered taking point this time. Although he couldn't shake a feeling that stronger opponents could be lurking…waiting for them as soon as they got into Wave Country.

Naruto, however, was ecstatic. He twirled _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ occasionally, not able to fully sate his bloodlust on an opponent he stopped himself from killing. He hoped upon hope he would meet a decent swordsman to test his personal style against…

_**REVIEW**_

_**I'll be putting up a poll. One of my readers recently asked for a harem or to just add Hinata…and I'm considering it but I want your opinions as well.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Team 7 plus one walked along a dense forest, each lost in their own little world. They had just left a very distraught boatman who seemed in higher spirits as he left them.

Sakura thought about the fight. She focused on how she froze immediately when her sensei was 'killed.' Even now her hands were still shaking, not from the memory but from nervousness and the tension she senses from Tazuna.

The bridge builder was faring no better. He had seen some of the thugs Gato kept around, and if what Kakashi said was true, there would be a lot tougher missing-nin working for Gato too. Tazuna shuddered as his thoughts turned to his daughter and grandson who were in constant danger because of the threat he posed to Gato. _'My poor, sweet Tsunami…'_

Kakashi feigned indifference by having his nose in his book, but he was seriously concerned. _'If Gato could buy the "Demon Brothers", then who else is under his employ…'_ he wondered.

Meanwhile, Sasuke and Naruto thought along the same lines.

Sasuke was feeling excited. He has a beautiful new blade, he could feel his strength increasing and he made his first kill. Now he needed a style to utilize with his Chokuto. Naruto had given him the conditions set by the blacksmith, and Sasuke immediately complied. He hadn't had a chance to test running his fire chakra through the blade…or maybe Kakashi could teach him how to use other elements.

Naruto had a devious grin plastered on his face. He could smell his enemies moving in the cover and he could feel their suppressed bloodlust. Naruto's own started to flare and he resisted the urge to 'shadow meld' over to them and engage.

Unsealing a kunai, Naruto spun it around his finger a couple times before releasing it in the direction of his targets. Naruto heard it thud against a tree.

Everyone started at the sudden sound and watched as Naruto made his way over to where his kunai had landed. He came back holding a white rabbit.

"Naruto! You almost killed it!" Sakura yelled, quickly rushing over to take it from Naruto.

Kakashi, however, was thinking along different lines. _'A white rabbit…and it is spring…that must mean…'_

Kakashi's visible eye widened. "EVERYONE DOWN NOW!" He commanded as he grabbed Tazuna and dove, Sasuke and Sakura following his example.

Naruto however, unsheathed _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ waiting for something to show up.

A split second later a large sword cleaved through the air. Naruto deflected it and spun around to see a man in a tree branch.

He was tall, not overly muscular but muscular all the same. He was pale with brown eyes, short spiky black hair, small practically no eyebrows, a sideways hitae-ate, bandages wrapped around the lower half of his face, shirtless with a belt around his chest, baggy pants, elbow length wrist warmers and leg warmers with a striped pattern on all three, and black sandals.

"Oh…" the mysterious man said in a deep voice, "You deflected it? Not bad kid…"

Naruto smirked. "My name is Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze. I would like to fight you Mr. Swordsman." He said, breaking his team out of their stupor and give incredulous looks to the blonde.

The man laughed. "Zabuza Momochi. Let's hope that attitude…" Zabuza disappeared, reappearing behind Naruto with his blade poised to strike.

"…doesn't belly your skills!" Zabuza yelled driving his blade down hard.

Naruto held up _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ catching Zabuza's sword and making a deadlock.

Zabuza smirked under his bandages. _'This is going to be fun…'_ "You ready Naruto! The next level begins now!"

Both swordsmen disappeared from view, trading vicious blows all around their limited space.

A second later, both stood on the surface of the water, blades poised for another fierce exchange.

"It's been a long time since I've had a challenger as good as you." Zabuza said honestly.

Naruto straightened and sheathed his blade. "Well, it's been fun so far. Level three?"

Zabuza fell out of his stance and sheathed his large blade as well. "You won't win in this level kid!"

Zabuza flew through hand seals then calling his jutsu. "**Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu **(Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique)!"

Naruto went through his own hand seals. "**Fuuton: Josho** (Wind Release: Rise)!"

Naruto blasted wind chakra toward his feet, successfully dodging the waterfall. Midair he started on another set of hand seals. "**Fuuton: Kaze Senbon** (Wind Release: Wind Needle)! He called, raining down a large number of wind chakra needles on Zabuza.

The former Kiri-nin was hit by a few but dodged the majority. He was surprised when he was hit in the back by a flaming projectile.

Sasuke went through the same hand seals for the **Gokakyu** and soon sent another large fireball speeding toward Zabuza as he was getting up.

It hit him dead on and Sasuke couldn't help but smirk until 'Zabuza' collapsed into a puddle of water.

Sasuke's eyes widened before he was sent flying into a tree.

Zabuza watched Naruto, who stood calmly on the surface of the water. He turned to see Kakashi in front of him, Sharingan eye exposed. "Sharingan no Kakashi huh?"

Zabuza unsheathed his blade and made a 'come-on' gesture.

Kakashi whipped out a kunai and engaged in a blade match with Zabuza…or blade vs. kunai in this case.

Both combatants leapt back going through the same 'seals.

"**Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu** (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)!" They called in unison.

To large columns formed shooting up and then forming into large dragons with pale yellow eyes. The two techniques collided cancelling each other out, drenching each other in the process.

That's when Naruto made his move. He dashed forward flying through hand seals.

"**Raiton: Jibashi** (Lightning Release: Electromagnetic Murder)!" Naruto yelled releasing a powerful stream of lightning at Zabuza's back taking him by surprise.

The missing-nin screamed as his wet body was assaulted by the powerful lightning attack, his sword falling from a limp grip.

Kakashi caught him as he fell forward unconscious.

By this time, Sasuke had awoken and had seen the whole thing.

A split second later a Kiri hunter-nin shunshin'd into the clearing. "I'll take him." Came the simple command.

Another second and he was gone.

Kakashi watched and turned to his team. He eye smiled and nodded at Sasuke and Naruto for their efforts. He opened his mouth to say something but instead fell forward unconscious.

Naruto smirked, absently twirling _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ before sheathing it. He then noticed Zabuza's sword about to sink. He grabbed it and hefted it onto his shoulder. He took a step back from the sudden weight with a bemused expression on his face.

'_How the hell can he be so fast with this heavy thing?!' _Naruto asked the Kyuubi who laughed.

'_**That man has had years to build up the necessary strength and speed to effortlessly use that blade.'**_ Kyuubi replied smartly.

Turning back to his team plus one, who had assembled around Kakashi, and considering the situation.

"Come now kids. Grab your sensei, my house isn't far from here." Tazuna said, waiting for them to get Kakashi up and then led them to his house.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

The door was answered by a pretty dark haired woman who broke out in tears at the sight of her father.

"Hello Tsunami…yes yes, I'm fine." Tazuna cooed, trying to comfort his daughter.

After she was finished, Tazuna introduced Team 7 and then she led them to some where they can lay their sensei down.

After Kakashi's wounds was dressed, they gathered in the dining room for dinner.

Inari, Tsunami's son as she introduced him, dejectedly ate his food.

It _was_ silent as everyone enjoyed dinner,

Until…

"What's the point…?" Inari mumbled.

All eyes turned to him.

"What's the point of DYING JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO BE A HERO!?" Inari cried.

Naruto picked his ear with his pinkie. "Come again Inari. I had something crazy stuck in my ear."

"It doesn't matter what you do…GATO WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Inari shot back before running from the room.

Naruto shrugged digging back into his delicious meal. "This is really good Tsunami-san."

Tsunami smiled her thanks, before shooting a concerned glance in the direction Inari ran.

The other occupants in the room slowly returned to eating their meals.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

It had been three days since the battle with Zabuza. Kakashi had been up on the second day and decided to teach Sasuke and Sakura the tree walking exercise. Naruto was excused, seeing as he already knew it and how to walk on water.

Naruto had been studying Zabuza's sword. He had drawn basic details that he would show to Tenuchi after the mission. He had trained with it a few times to train his own strength and speed.

Sasuke had been working on his Kenjutsu and Sakura had worked on increasing her reserves more. Naruto told her if her reserves got up to a certain level he would teach her a technique.

_**WARNING!**_

It was a bright early morning and Sasuke opened his eyes to the sky. He had overworked himself on training a new technique he made up. He didn't have a name for it yet.

He heard the crunching of grass underfoot and watched a beautiful girl in a pink kimono approach where he laid, her head down focused on her task.

When she looked up she seemed surprised to see him.

'_I must have her…' _Sasuke shakily stood to his feet and crossed the distance separating them.

She said something but Sasuke couldn't hear her, his attention was focused on one thing.

He grabbed her in an embrace and pressed his lips against her. She responded pushing the kiss back, all though with _a lot _less ferocity than Sasuke.

Sasuke broke the kiss and took a step back. _'Wow…'_ he thought.

"Listen, before you say anything…My name is Sasuke Uchiha and I would like to take you as my wife."

"My name is Haku…" the girl said, finishing her herb picking.

She turned to him and gave him a dazzling smile. "…and I'm a boy…I hope we'll be able to see each other again…" Then she left.

Sasuke picked up the pieces of his face that had fallen off.

'_Wait! She-_HE_ is a boy?! He is way to pretty to be a boy…but that means…'_

Sasuke fainted after coming to a startling realization.

He kissed a boy…and he liked it…


	5. Chapter 5

It had been hours since Sasuke returned from his escapade in the forest.

He retreated into a dark corner of the room he and Naruto shared, and reviewed what had happened…trying to sort out his feelings over the matter.

His brain felt in overload. _'Beautiful girl…actually androgynous boy…kiss...kiss…kiss…'_

Then he passed out for some inexplicable reason.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto smiled to himself. He practically had a free day. Sasuke was missing, most likely training, and Sakura and Kakashi had gone to watch over Tazuna, leaving Naruto to do whatever he wanted.

He walked down the main street observing the dejected faces of the villagers. Some of them were so deep in poverty, Naruto glanced them performing lewd acts for bread or money.

'_**This isn't the way a tyrant is supposed to keep rule over people. **_**This **_**is the path to a violent, bloody and unalloyed rebellion.'**_The Kyuubi's strangely serious voice rumbled in Naruto's head.

'_What would you do in Gato's place then Mr. Malevolence?' _Naruto asked, smirking.

'_**First things first, I wouldn't give them a reason to rebel. I would make sure the economy is stable, there is always food and some form of entertainment to keep them occupied. Then if someone tries to rebel, I would force them to participate in these games or be sold as a slave to one of Iwa's noble families.'**_ Kyuubi answered back after a second of thought.

'_Those…are valid points, but what would the…rebels do in Iwa?' _Naruto asked as he turned a corner into a dark alleyway.

'_**Simple. They would work in the mines for the rest of their lives.'**_ Kyuubi explained lazily.

Naruto stopped in his tracks. That actually _is_ a good idea.

Before more could be said, a little girl of around 7 or 8 emerged from an alcove in the wall. She had black hair that was in tangles, patched clothing, dirt smears on her skin and the most dazzling pair of lifeless green eyes.

"Hey mister…you must want to see her if you came all this way…or would you rather another…" She stated emotionlessly. Before Naruto could respond, she continued. "No matter, we will go now."

The girl grabbed his hand in a surprisingly strong grip and led him through a maze to a room.

Naruto turned to look at the girl but she was gone.

He turned back to the door.

He sighed and opened the door.

A cacophony of smells assaulted his nose: The primary ones being sweat, lust, shame and…excrement.

The room was dimly lit with only a bed in the center. On the bed, in what was supposed to be a seductive pose, laid a 9 year old girl, sheets obscuring her form.

She smiled sweetly at Naruto and sat up. The sheets drooped, revealing her state of dress…nudity.

"Let me be of service to my master yes?" The girl said, walking into a little more light revealing blond hair and hazel eyes.

Naruto was frozen in shock. _'This is what this place has come to because of people like Gato!'_

The little girl was running a hand along his abdomen.

Naruto grabbed her wrist in a steel-like grip.

"Oh…my master is one of those types then…" She said in a fearful tone.

"What is your name?" Naruto said in an emotionless tone.

"Master I don't have a name…" She said, strangely sad.

Naruto nodded. "Are there more of you here?"

She gave a sad nod. "There are only two of us left. _They_ came this morning, nearly 200 of them, and…and they took their picks, saying, 'We'll save the best for last.'"

"Listen _Keiko,_ I want you to find the others and meet me in the forest." Naruto told her. She just stared at him in wonder, a small smile adorning her face.

"Is that my name Master?" 'Keiko' asked.

Naruto gave her a small smile in return and made a shooing motion. "Hurry up."

With tears of happiness, Keiko disappeared.

"Red-?" Naruto started but was interrupted.

'_**I'll give you more than enough power to rip that man into miniscule molecules!'**_ the Kyuubi roared inside his mind.

Naruto was about to question what man when the familiar red chakra burst forth and his senses extended.

Sinking into the shadows, Naruto's features began to become more feral…

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Kakashi greeted everyone as he made his way up the stairs. He was on his way to check if Sasuke had gotten back yet.

He nudged the door with a crutch. "Sasuke?"

He received a grunt in reply.

"You doin' alright?" Kakashi asked.

"Yeah…I just need to be left alone for now…" Sasuke mumbled.

"Okay, just know you are going to be on bridge duty with me and Sakura tomorrow." Kakashi told him.

Sasuke grunted, only turning back over when he was alone again.

He put a hand on his forehead. _'Why the hell is he still in my head?'_

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Sasuke turned back over and tried to go to sleep.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

The man was running for his life. He had originally been dispatched to round up the rest of the little prostitutes, but he found them running. Naturally, he gave chase but found himself in one of the darkest parts of the building. To make matters worse, everywhere he looked, there was a pair of red eyes boring holes into him.

Naruto rose as slowly as possible and drew all the darkness towards himself. He directed it to wrap around himself, making him tower over the man. Then he formed the armor, taking care to add a tattered cape and a scythe. After this he wrapped more shadows around his head leaving only his eyes to show.

The man took one look at the creature that had materialized and dropped a load on his pants.

Naruto raised the scythe taking care to add the dramatic effect of fire chakra igniting the blade.

The man screamed. "Mercy, Mercy! Please! I can take you to the man who ordered all of this!"

"**No thank you. I already know where he is…his time is coming…"** Naruto said in his demonically altered deep voice.

Naruto brought the scythe down, ending the annoying sound of the man's screaming.

He then released his transformation and went about locating the girls.

'_I can't wait Gato…I have something for you…brought personally by the Kyuubi'_

Naruto said to himself. Inside his mind, the Kyuubi was leaking pure malevolence and enough killing intent to kill a chunin on contact.

_**Reviews.**_

_**This chapter only took so long because of a flame that derailed my thoughts. I apologize.**_


	6. Chapter 6

Naruto's eyes snapped open. Some thing was prodding his shoulder.

He was a split second from attacking, but he recognized the scent and the voice.

"Master…are you awake?" Keiko's little voice called out.

Naruto grunted as he sat up from his position…lying on the ground.

'_How the hell…'_ Naruto thought.

"Master?" Keiko asked again, fear present in her voice.

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine Keiko…and don't call me 'Master', my name is Naruto." Naruto said firmly.

Naruto was surprised as Keiko threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm glad y-you're o-okay…I c-can't lose you Mas-Naruto…" Keiko hiccupped into his shoulder.

Naruto let a small smile appear on his face.

"Keiko…did you find the others?" Naruto reluctantly pulled out of her embrace.

"Yes they are behind you…" Keiko said pointing to a spot over Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto turned to see the first girl he met, and a brown haired, dark haired girl, who was the same age as the first girl.

"They don't have names either…" Keiko whispered, in a saddened tone.

Naruto stood, dusted himself off, and then adopted a thinking stance.

He then pointed to the girl with the green eyes. "You'll be 'Miki' because your eyes and you'll be 'Shizuka' because you don't seem all that talkative." Naruto finished, by pointing at the brunette.

Naruto then took off his muscle shirt and handed it to Keiko. "Wear this."

Once Keiko was moderately covered, Naruto led them to Tazuna's house, all the while, plotting ways to make Gato suffer.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

It had been six hours since Naruto came back with the girls.

Tsunami had been preparing to put away leftovers when Naruto walked in. Immediately, Tsunami grasped the situation and set out plates of food for the three ravenous girls.

After they ate their fill, Tsunami set them up with a makeshift bed on the couch, while Naruto showered, went to his room and then passed out.

Naruto woke up to discover that the three girls had somehow gotten into his bed and were snuggled up to him.

Maneuvering himself out of their hold wasn't easy but he finally got it.

After showering and dressing, a foreign scent entered Naruto's nose. They smelled of cheap alcohol, oil, leather, and…blood that wasn't theirs. It smelled like an animal mixed with a human.

Naruto stealthily headed down stairs. As the threshold to the kitchen came into view, Naruto leapt and stuck himself to the ceiling with chakra, applying a minor 'invisibility' Genjutsu to hide his presence.

He saw two strange men: one pinning Tsunami against a wall, the other preparing to behead Inari. Not caring to note anything about them Naruto set to dispatch them both.

It was like clockwork. A kunai to the back of the head of the man who held Tsunami and a short shunshin to the back of the other only to slit his throat a second later.

"Are you okay?" Naruto inquired, checking both for any injuries. Tsunami had a shallow cut on her thigh, and her clothes were discombobulated from where the man had tried to feel her up. Inari, on the other hand, had a black eye, two welts on his left arm, a bruise on his cheek and a shattered world.

After seeing surprised nods, Naruto asked Tsunami to watch over the girls and then left.

_**(Shadow in The Leaves)**_

"Damn!" Kakashi hissed as he defended himself from Zabuza's kunai onslaught. The man was faster than what he seemed.

The former Kiri-nin jumped back into his mist. "Well Kakashi…I thought you would be better than this…is your entry in the Bingo Book a lie?"

Growling, Kakashi pulled up his hitae-ate, Sharingan spinning menacingly.

Zabuza appeared in front of him, smirking. "Let's get to it then." He said, raising his kunai.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was excited. He had been looking forward to a good fight, and his opponent was doing well above his expectations.

Then his opponent had done some crazy mirror thing and now he had the upper hand, but oh glorious day! His Sharingan had awoken at last.

But even his mighty Sharingan couldn't give him an edge against his much quicker opponent. His body wasn't fast enough to react to what his eyes told him.

This was the sight Naruto arrived to. The Sharingan users of Team 7 getting their asses handed to them.

With a smirk, Naruto shunshin'd between Zabuza and Kakashi, and kicked the missing nin away.

"Whatsup," Naruto said, turning to his sensei. "By the way, Sasuke needs some help."

Kakashi eyebrow rose. "Then why don't you help him?"

"And miss out on what may be the only good swordfight I'll have for awhile, I'd rather not. Besides, I'd rather keep my techniques from BOTH of your Sharingans…Now go Sensei. Zabuza's mine."

Naruto turned his back on his sensei and focused on Zabuza.

Zabuza was laughing. "You crack me up kid. What makes you think you can defeat the 'Demon of the Mist'?"

"If not for them, I would have cut you down when we first fought, but anyways…" Naruto pulled out a scroll and tossed it to Zabuza, who unsealed it, revealing his sword.

Zabuza smirked, while Naruto brandished _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_. No further words were exchanged as the two engaged in a fierce Kenjutsu duel.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto twirled _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ as he stared at Zabuza's prone form. _'That was a great fight!'_ Naruto exclaimed to Kyuubi, who sighed.

'_**Sure…whatever…'**_Kyuubi said dejectedly.

Naruto turned to see the nin Sasuke was fighting unconscious, Sasuke bleeding heavily from his shoulder, Sakura hysterically crying and Kakashi trying to perform a medical technique on him,

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "Not my problem." He growled.

"They're both dead…oh well, no more drain on my pockets…" a voice called.

Naruto's frown was replaced by a scary grin. He turned to face a short, portly, nearly gray-haired man.

"If it isn't the fat bastard!" Naruto yelled, his voice falling into something like a loud, guttural growl. "I was hoping you would show up!"

Gato took a step back. "I-Is that so?" He called back trying to fake bravado.

With a snap of his fingers, three hundred mercs surrounded them, armed to the teeth with chains, swords, axes, and a few had brass knuckles.

Naruto's eyebrow rose. "Is this the best you got?" Naruto realized he would be the only one fighting, seeing as his sensei was busy.

Naruto brandished _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_. "Who wants to die first?"

Gato gritted his teeth. "ATTACK! If you bring me his head, I will personally pay you TWO million ryo!"

With that in mind, the mercs set off to get there money…only…


	7. Chapter 7

Only…Naruto sat on the ground, cross-legged with _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ horizontally across his lap.

Naruto performed a rapid series of handseals, holding the last one. **"Hiden: Nise no Jinsei** (Secret Technique: False Life)."

Shadows from the surrounding foliage and shaded areas began to gather in a spot next to Naruto. When he felt there was enough, Naruto began to firm the mass of shadows. Four thick limbs formed first followed by a sleek and muscular body a streamlined head with two long appendages and…nine tails.

The rough formation was then surrounded by a red glow that settled over everything, covering the mass in red fur and cementing its fearsome outline. The nine tails began to wave wildly causing the calm waters under the bridge to start swirling and crashing against the shores harder. The appendages on its head, or its ears, stood straight up and a slow grin revealed sharp teeth. Lastly, the creature opened its red eyes, releasing a massive and foul killing intent that brought all the mercenaries and Gato to their knees.

"**That's right, bow, 'cause I'M BACK BITCHES!"** Kyuubi roared. The nine foot monster looked at his jailor. **"How the hell am I out?"** he asked in undertone.

"Little technique I've been working on," Naruto whispered back. "Just for you."

"**Well…uh, thanks…any particular reason?"** Kyuubi asked.

"Keep your word," Naruto hinted, pointing to Gato who began crying when he noticed the monster eye him.

"**With pleasure,"** Kyuubi grinned preparing to charge…only to have Kakashi shunshin in front of it, kunai drawn.

"Naruto did the Kyuubi escape?" Kakashi asked one eye dangerously narrowed.

"I'll tell you later sensei, just move so we can kill Gato and his men." Naruto growled, standing to his feet and brandishing '_Ame-no-Habakiri'_ again.

The he leapt over his sensei. _'Okay Jiji, let's see this technique you gave me in action.'_

"**Doton: Dosekiryuu** (Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon)." Naruto intoned, after the necessary hand seals.

The muddy banks rose up forming a great brown dragon that swept through Gato's mercs like a landslide through a forest.

On the ground again, Naruto did more hand seals. **"Suiton: Suiryuudan** (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet). This time a column of water rose up, shaped into a dragon and flooded the remaining mercs. Anyone who survived that were ended by _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_.

This happened in a span of twenty seconds. "Kyuubi, you can go get Gato now." Naruto called to the patiently waiting Bijuu.

Kyuubi's malicious grin spread across his face. Ignoring Kakashi, he stalked across the muddy, wet, body-strewn area to a Gato who had just crapped his pants at the up-close view of the monster.

"Have mercy, please don't kill me!" Gato pleaded, eyes closed, tears streaming down his face.

The killing intent got even denser to the point where Gato's heart nearly gave out.

"**How many girls?"** Kyuubi asked.

Gato looked up in confusion. "What?"

"**How many girls have you kidnapped, molested, sold, raped, drowned, and mutilated their dead corpses? HOW MANY?!"** Kyuubi roared again, this time snout to nose so he could look Gato in his eyes.

Gato whimpered before breaking eye contact and looking at the ground, resigning to fate. "It's been nearly a thousand…" he mumbled.

"**Speak up and give me an exact number!"** Kyuubi ordered.

"Okay okay…957 with yesterday's batch added in." Gato cried, eyes closed.

Kyuubi lifted itself back to full height. **"Inton: Akuma no Hiko** (Yin Release: Demon's Flight).

To Gato, Kyuubi's form vanished…along with everything else. It was too dark to see anything

Gato's peripheral vision tracked movement and Gato turned to find nothing. He felt cold breath on his neck and spun around to see…nothing.

"I told you to stop…" came a little voice from behind Gato.

He spun around to see a cute little girl with a ripped, dirtied and tattered uniform, tangled hair and she was crying.

"NO I killed you!" Gato cried out. "I stuffed drugs down your throat and made you overdose!"

"G-Gato…" a voice gurgled from behind.

Gato spun to see another girl, this one older than the first, completely nude with her throat sliced and organs lying in a neat arranged pile next to her.

"WHAT! YOU'RE DEFINETELY DEAD, I…I sold all your organs…" Gato's voice got quiet as he realized what he was seeing.

"**Yes Gato, what you have just seen are your more memorable murders…"** the voice disappeared as hands emerged from beneath Gato and pulled him down into the darkness screaming the whole way.

Gato's felt the wind whipping against his face and felt his hands were bound.

He tried to turn but quickly got a burn by whatever was around his neck. Then his eyes widened as he realized what it was, a noose.

He heard a screeching noise and looked around to see a flock of giant demonic vultures circling overhead.

An answering screech hurt Gato's ears as another startling realization occurred to him…he was on the back of one.

"Hello Gato," a strong voice. For the third time, Gato was in shock as he turned to see Kaiza's stony expression.

"N-no…it c-can't be…" Gato stuttered.

Kaiza gave him an ice cold smile. "Oh it is." He said before producing a jagged katana.

"Wha-" Gato barely got it out before Kaiza stepped forward and severed Gato's right arm and then his left.

Gato's screams went on for several minutes before Kaiza had enough and punched him in the gut, forcing air from his lungs.

Kaiza picked up one of the limbs and tossed it to the birds, who fought over it before one completely guzzled it. Then Kaiza tossed up other limb with the same result.

"Now you die." Kaiza said pushing Gato from the bird.

Gato closed his eyes waiting for the snap of the rope that would end his life…it never came.

Gato opened his eyes to see a cut rope and beyond that…the ground rushing up to meet him.

Gato hit the ground hard with his head lying in a shallow stream.

In his near-death state, Gato began sucking in water by accident.

Just when he thought he could die in peace, the sound of squawking fills his ears.

The demonic vultures drop from the sky to begin feasting on their meal, and whenever Gato screamed, he swore he could hear the scream of his victims.

_**(Shadow In The Leaves)**_

Naruto, Kakashi, Sakura, a healed Sasuke, and a conscious Zabuza watched Gato's face from rage to shock to horror to shock to resignation to blankness to pain to extreme shock to resignation again and then his eyes widened and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

They watched as Gato's right arm fell and his left arm soon afterwards.

"What the hell?" Zabuza said about to go investigate before it disappeared like it was being ripped and fought over and then gone. The same happened with the other arm.

Gato jumped to his feet and tried to run only to be tripped by a rock where he fell face first into the shallow part of the ocean by the shore.

Coughing and spluttering, the armless man was helpless until he managed to roll on his back.

Kyuubi rose next to Gato eyeing him. That's when a squawk was heard. That single squawk multiplied into hundreds.

The ninja all found themselves looking up to see vultures swooping down on Gato.

"**Your soul will go to hell…there you will live through that Genjutsu for 1000 millennia…so says the king of hell…"** Kyuubi growls, as Gato is picked apart alive.

Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke and Zabuza look on in mute horror while Naruto laughs his ass off.

The townsfolk, led by Inari, were not spared from this gruesome scene either. They watched in with grim resignation as the bastard died.

When the birds dispersed, Kyuubi let out a long echoing howl before disappearing into the seal.

_**Originally, Gato was going to die just like Kaiza did, instead I did this.**_

_**Created Jutsu- **__Hiden: Nise no Jinsei, Inton: Akuma no Hiko_

_**REVIEWS please**_


	8. Chapter 8

It had been two weeks since the mission to Wave ended. It was a tear-streaked yadda-yadda, sappy goodbye. The highlight was the fact that they named the bridge. 'Akuma no Hiko' after the technique that killed Gato.

During their recuperation, Zabuza and Haku decided to come to Konoha, but they needed 'time.' In response, Naruto offered membership to his clan and they replied, "Thank you. Let's discuss this at a further time…"

The girls, Keiko, Miki and Shizuka, settled in nicely. They preferred to spend as much time with Naruto as they could. Sometimes they would go out on their own and hear comments like, "Little demon whores," "It's multiplying!" or some villagers would simply stare. They didn't care because they had Naruto, and they knew he cared for them deeply.

Unfortunately, tonight would be one of those nights…

Keiko stared at the clock. It was only four o'clock, but Naruto was supposed to finish his team meeting hours ago.

"Miki, Shizuka," She giggled, having names was fun. "We need to get some food."

After receiving two replies of okay, the three girls headed out.

Even though it was too big for her and she had clothes of her own, Keiko still wore Naruto's muscle shirt. Miki wore a yellow frilly dress and Shizuka was dressed in a dark coat, darker shirt, dark pants and dark shoes.

The girls went inside a supermarket to get their food, following Naruto's instructions to only allow a certain cashier to serve them.

As they left, Keiko carried the bags and they chatted excitedly, debating how much ramen Naruto would eat tonight, for it was that day again.

"Hey, it's those demon whores!" a voice called out.

"Maybe they'd like to see a real man!" another voice slurred then cackled.

Keiko turned back to see five men hurrying toward them.

"Run!" She yelled, urging her sisters.

It was not to be…The men caught up easily and yelled insults at them while they tried to grab their arms.

There was a gasp from beside her and she turned to see Miki in the hands of one of the pursuers.

"Run! Get away! Tell Naruto…I said 'Thank you!" Miki yelled as the men surrounded her.

Tears streamed down Keiko's face as they ran home.

_**(Shadows in The Leaves)**_

Naruto stared at the sky. "It's okay…I'm late…and I didn't take my meds-"

'_**You didn't do WHAT?!'**_ Kyuubi's voice roared, giving Naruto a minor headache.

'_I forgot to take them this morning…I was rushing…'_ Naruto shrugged.

Kyuubi didn't say anything else, just growled for a while. _**'Get. Home. NOW!'**_

Naruto took to the roof tops but collapsed halfway there. His heart hurt…a lot.

He felt overwhelming despair, and satisfaction.

Ignoring Kyuubi's warnings, threats and rants, Naruto followed his instincts to a rundown storehouse.

The smells wafting from inside were alcohol, stale air, and…semen.

Naruto's eyes bulged, the blue beginning to ominously glow.

Naruto felt the change and knew it was sundown and he was too late.

His hair began to grow, losing its messy spikes and getting straighter.

Naruto gritted his teeth as his irises slowly faded.

It was completely dark by now, and the shadows that touched Naruto left behind turned his skin blue. His muscles began to swell causing him to grow over seven feet tall.

Pushing open the door, the pseudo transformed Naruto saw a little girl with tangled black hair and dazzling green eyes face up on the ground…her sundress was torn leaving her completely exposed. Her jaw was broken; blood and semen pooled around her butt and mouth. It looked like she had been crying.

'_M-M…MIKI!'_

Naruto roared, allowing the beast inside him to take full control.

The Beast roared, leaping across the village, following the scent of the ones responsible.

Apparently, they had split up.

Shin took another swig from his bottle. He was sitting on a bench in the park. His dick was happy, he had a bottle of (cheap) liquor…life was good.

Across from the bench was a minor forest. Shin stared into the forest, swearing he saw something.

"Hey, come out of there if you know what's good for ya!" He yelled, feeling suddenly courageous and invincible.

He caught sight of a huge, hulking monster. It was blue and it seemed to be getting bigger…

'_OH MY GOD! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'_ Shin screamed, moving as fast as he could.

It was no use. The giant _thing_ easily loped alongside him. Then it grabbed his head.

"Answer me truthfully or I'll skin you and throw you into the hot springs…did you kill Keiko?" It asked.

Shin's eyes were wide in horror and fear, but the alcohol made him stupid. "Is that that little bitch's name? I didn't care to ask when we all were fu-AHHH!"

The Beast added more and more pressure until his fingers met. Shin lay at his feet, pieces of his head and brain matter, scattered like a watermelon splattered against the ground.

The Beast roared again, taking off toward his next prey.

_**(Shadows in The Leaves)**_

Hiruzen Sarutobi's stomach rumbled, but he wouldn't eat. He was afraid it would come back up.

He had just visited five scenes of varying…deaths is putting it lightly.

The first they came across was at a park. There was a decimated, headless corpse.

It would be fine except the 'head' was in millions of pieces…or chunks…

Hiruzen shivered. Each scene got progressively horrific.

The last one there was no body, just places were something looked splattered or a lung here, intestines coiled around and inside a mutilated head…

This had eventually led to questions and the answer was one Hiruzen wished he didn't know.

He had met the girls and he could tell they would grow to be the sweetest, most caring people in the world if they stuck around Naruto long enough, but this threw him through a loop. There was no telling where this could go…

A knock on his door broke him from his cryptic thoughts. His assistant poked her head in when he gave the okay.

"The Council has called a meeting…" She stopped upon hearing his growl and feeling his KI.

"Very well…" Sarutobi said, as he shunshin'd away, ANBU in tow.

Hiruzen reappeared in the Council and everyone had the look of one who was just talking about someone and then they walk in the room.

"What is this about? Do you have what I asked for?" Hiruzen said into the silence.

"No this is an entirely different mater. We will discuss this later, he had arrived." Homura explained.

As Hiruzen took his seat, he noticed Danzo was back.

The door opened and in walked three figures that he immediately recognized.

Naruto strode into the council chambers, _'Ame-no-Habakiri'_ brandished. Keiko and Shizuka followed closely behind.

"What?" He said glancing around the room. "I don't have all day for your bullshit so tell me why I am here!"

One man stood up and yelled indignantly. "I don't care who this demon's father is, you will not talk to the Council that way."

Hiruzen readied a kunai, but one look at Naruto's face stopped him. There was a gleam in his eyes…it was eerie.

Naruto twirled his sword, swinging it around in fancy maneuvers before letting his arm fall to his side again.

Homura decided to take the reins.

"Namikaze-san," Homura cleared his throat. "We would like to bring the CRA to our attention again."

Naruto sighed and made an impatient gesture with his hand.

"With this, we would need you to take multiple wives-"

"How many?" Naruto broke in.

"Umm…at least ten will suffice." Homura said, receiving nods of approval from the rest of the members.

"Fine," Naruto growled, "But I'm picking them…is there a problem with that?"

He cast an intimidating glance around the room.

"No, that is fine," Homura said, happy he got what they wanted. "Meeting adjourn-"

"WAIT!" Naruto yelled, smirking afterwards. "I just wanted to say…thank you for setting the best example for those fools out there. I mean, if it wasn't for you, I might have a normal life, lots of friends, no bullshit to put up with everyday, but whatever. So from the bottom of my heart…fuck you and I hope you enjoy your permanent stay in hell." He walked out leaving a stunned Council.

A couple seconds later he poked his head back in. "My true precious ones know who they are and…"

The Council watched as Naruto's sword came into view. **"Korosu! **(Slay)**"**

'_Ame-no-Habakiri'_ glowed brightly and then faded. "The true shall live…" With that, Naruto was gone.

Hiruzen stood up and turned his back on the Council, preparing to catch up to Naruto and ask him about the previous night.

He then heard several gurgling sounds and turned around to see nearly the whole civilian council, Homura, Komura and Danzo all writhing on the floor with multiple slash wounds and blood flowing freely.

Naruto's cackles echoed around the room as they each died.

"H….Hokage-sama….what the hell just happened?" Hiashi asked, all stoutness gone.

"Holy shit…" Hiruzen muttered.


End file.
